Ben Jelen Albums (2)
What The Critics Say
From the sitar swept intro of "Pulse" which opens Ex-Sensitive, it's obvious that this album is far removed from Ben Jelen's debut in sound and vision. If there were any lingering doubts, "Where Do We Go" wipes them away in a blaze of organ-drenched, guitar-ridden '60s pop. But that's nothing compared to the rollicking, Small Faces flecked title track, with its storming rhythm and anthemic chorus. Of course, the multi-instrumentalist does play on this album, but his contributions are buried amid the prominent guitars and lavish organ, as well as Linda Perry's lush productions. She has taken a singer/songwriter moping romantically around his piano and transformed him into an Everyman with a cause. OK, Jelen's songs and universal themes made this metamorphosis possible, but it's Perry who graces the set with an appealing richness and depth the artist was previously lacking. Jelen determinedly sets out to connect with each and every one of us, and help reconnect us to each other. "Pulse" sets the stage with the neo-mod "Mr. Philosopher," and the equally upbeat and anthemic "Just a Little" explaining how. Even so, the singer doesn't have all the answers, as the exuberant "Where Do We Go" makes clear, with Jelen's inner doubts rising to the fore on the downbeat "Not My Plan" and the soul baring "Vulnerable." Still, on "Papa, Here I Go" hope eventually overtakes desperation. Yet these inner tussles serve a greater cause: to find a solution for the ecological destruction of our planet. On the space age ballad "Counting Down," David Bowie's "Starman" is reinvented for the environmental age, while the title track takes a swipe at the "lonely gadgets, brands and badges" that litter our lives. The title of the loss filled "Wreckage" speaks eloquently for itself on one of the most powerful numbers here, while the soulful "Other Side" is a paean to mother earth masquerading as a love letter. The minimalistic "What Have We Done" closes the set on a bittersweet note as the blinkers drop from the eyes of mortal enemies, revealing visions of horror, and leaving behind emotional scars that will never truly heal. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Ben Jelen means well. He's a pretty, earnest, young singer/songwriter, whose sincerity oozes from every track of his polished debut, Give It All Away. Produced largely by the Berman Brothers, with a couple of cuts helmed by the Matrix and a track by Eve Nelson plus a handful of other producers, the album attempts to turn Jelen into an immediate superstar, a male spin on the sensitive female singer/songwriter who rose up in the wake of teen pop in the early 2000s. He seems tailor-made for the role -- he's very good-looking and has a sweet voice, so he's easy to turn into a pinup star for teenagers too old and hip for Clay Aiken, and he has a transparent emotional streak to shame Chris Carrabba. Musically, he's a curious blend of Michelle Branch, Vanessa Carlton, and Take That's Gary Barlow, crossed with Coldplay, whose intro for "Clocks" he cops on "Give It All Away." He sounds most comfortable on ballads, since it gives him the best platform for his earnestness, but they're hurt by their lack of tunefulness and po-faced sensibility. Like emo rockers, Jelen's defining characteristic is his emotionalism and sensitivity, and that fuels his music, whether it's on the ballads or the midtempo pop tunes with vague radio-ready dance beats, either provided by the Bermans ("Every Step") or the Matrix, who struggle to rein him in to their signature sound with "Christine" and "Stay," but can't overrule his formless sincerity. At times his earnestness is appealing, and Give It All Away illustrates that he has a likable voice and some solid musical ideas, but the album is brought down by an effort to make Jelen into something bigger than he is -- that is, a star. His songs are designed for a small scale and they would sound better unadorned, since the production overwhelms every cut here. Certainly, it's possible to hear his potential underneath that outsized production, but it takes effort. Ironically, instead of making Ben Jelen sound like a star right out of the box, the team of producers and concentration from the label make him seem smaller than life, which does a disservice to his music. He would likely make a bigger splash with a record much more simple and direct than this. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
